Improvement in game apparatus



Game-Apparatus.

Patented. No'v lnveNTon.

Wn'mssps.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

WALTER CLOPTON WINGFIELD, OF BELGRAVE ROAD, PIMLIGO, ENGLAND.

MPROVEMENT IN GAME APPARATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 157,259, dated November 24, 1874; application tiled September 22, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER CLoPToN WINGFIELD, of Belgrave Road, Pimlico, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented a new and Improved Portable Court for Playing the Ancient Game of Tennis, of which the following is a specification:

The 'object and intention of this invention consists in constructing a portable court, by means of which the ancient game of tennis is much simplified, can be played in the open air, and dispenses with the necessityr of having special courts erected for that purpose.

The manner by which I propose to accomplish the above object is as follows: I insert two standards in the ground at about twentyone feet from each other. Between these two s standards a large oblong net is stretched. To

each of the said standards I attach a triangular-shaped net, in such a manner that the standard shall divide the said triangular net into two right-angle triangles, each of which is kept, respectively, at right angles to each side of the oblong net aforesaid by means of loopsand strings, and is fixed to pegs driven in the ground. The large oblong net forms the dividing-wall of the court, and the triangular net the wings or side walls thereof, while the floor is marked out by paint-colored cord or tape into in7 and out courts, serving as crease, right and left courts, and boundaries.

By this simple apparatus a portable court is obtained, by means of which the old game of tennis, which has always been an indoor amusement, and which few can enjoy on account of the great expense of building a brick court, may be made an outdoor one, and placed within the reach of all, as the above-described portable court can be erected in a few minutes on a lawn, ice, or in any suitable-sized space, either in or out of doors; and in order to explain my said invention more fully, Inow proceed to describe the means by which it may be carried into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative sheet of drawings ac companying this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon, respectively, as follows:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the new and improved portable court, formed by stretching an oblong net, A B C D, between two standards, E F, inserted in the ground. To these standards are attached the two triangular nets, Gr H K G H K', stretched by means of the ropes L. Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the mode of stretching the ropes L by means of pegs M, so as to form a tennis-court.

The oor is marked out by paint-colored cord or tape into in and out courts, N being the crease in the in court. The space O forms the out court, and is divided by lines P Q R S, as marked in the drawing. A

It is evident that canvas, sheet-muslin, or other fabric may be substituted for the netting.

I claim as my invention- The within-described game apparatus or portable tennis-court, consisting of the oblong or rectangular net and the triangular end nets, the whole constructed and arranged to be stretched by ropes, 4and secured in position by standards, substantially as and for the object specified.

WALTER C. WINGFIELD.

Witnesses:

A. BRowNn,

5 Southampton Buildings, London, JOHN BEDDARD,

46 Olnwton street, London. 

